Broncos Nuclear Option: Examining the Top QB Options in 2024 NFL Draft

If the Denver Broncos are in the quarterback market in 2024, and the projected NFL draft class looks great.

With Sean Payton leading the way, the Denver Broncos are hoping for a significant turnaround in 2023 from the five-win finish of last season. There were many reasons for the Broncos' issues in 2022, and in the case of most of them, the team has taken steps to improve. 

One of the bigger problems the Broncos faced was the quarterback situation. There is no way around it, as Russell Wilson was a significant issue last season. 

From missing pre-snap reads, leading to a missed wide-open receiver for a game-winning touchdown, to having a large hand in the design of such an inefficient offense. Some of these have been handled, as the offense will be Payton's, but Wilson also needs to bounce back. 

The veteran QB added weight and bulk last season, which hindered his movement, but he has since slimmed down, which should help. But can Wilson go back to making the right reads pre-snap, can he stop missing open receivers for touchdowns or even first downs, and throw the ball away to avoid taking a league-high in sacks? 

If Wilson doesn't bounce back (being a top-16 quarterback wouldn't be enough), then the Broncos could be looking at quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL draft. The Broncos need Wilson to make a large enough jump from 2022 to commit to him for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. His 2025 salary guarantees on the fifth day of the 2024 league year, so the Broncos will have to decide by then if he is worth two more years. 

If Wilson isn't worth it by then, a June-1 designation will spread his cap hit over the 2024 and 2025 seasons and be manageable for the Broncos. Doing that also would put pressure on the Broncos to land one of the 2024 draft-class quarterbacks. That would make managing the dead cap even easier with a rookie quarterback contract.

The good news is the projected 2024 quarterback draft class is outstanding. There are plenty of clear top guys with multiple prospects that could significantly rise through the 2023 season and draft process. 

So, let's dive into the class and look at potential options for the Broncos in case that's the route they have to go. 

Caleb Williams | USC

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Williams is the top guy for most people, with some having him as the No. 2. He has an insane ability to make outstanding throws, no matter what his platform is. That's a significant reason he is the favorite for the No. 1 overall pick, but his game is so much more than that.

Williams does a great job making reads and going through his reads with good timing. There are some knocks to his game, like ball security, as he has put the ball on the ground more than you want to see, with 17 over two seasons of play. He is a lock for the top five as long as he can stay healthy and barring a significant drop in his play.

Bo Nix | Oregon

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After transferring from Auburn, where Nix looked undraftable, he had a great season in 2022. He completed over 70% of his passes for over 3,500 yards, 29 touchdowns to only seven interceptions. He also added 14 touchdowns on the ground.

Nix needs to show sustained success in the future while also showing more consistency and aggressiveness to attack deeper. Part of that is the Oregon offense that loves those easy completions, which will boost Nix's completion percentage. Of his 408 total attempts, only 107 were for 10+ yards, completing 58.8% of those attempts.

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Michael Penix | Washington

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Penix is another transfer before the 2022 season, leaving Indiana for Washington. He had a great year and was talked about as a Day 2 pick had he declared for the 2023 draft. He returned to try and show more to improve his draft stock.

Penix was more aggressive than Nix, having as many completions of 10+ yards as Nix had attempted, but Penix only completed 48.6% of those passes. So he must be more consistent with the placement there and have receivers who won't drop 11 deep passes. Penix isn't a runner but does have good mobility to use his legs when needed and did well spreading the ball around. 

KJ Henderson | Arkansas

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Jefferson is an interesting quarterback because he has good height, but his build is great. He stands at 6-foot-3 and 242 pounds, which is an outstanding build, and he uses it when running the ball. There is no doubt he can plow through and pick up the yards in short-yardage situations.

However, Jefferson isn't only a running quarterback, though he has only thrown 597 passes over the last two seasons. They were filled with simple catches, leading to good efficiency, but that worked for what he could do. 

With only 80 attempts beyond the 20-yard mark over the last two years, completing 50% of them, he isn't bad at it. The bigger issue is, can he challenge the intermediate area of the field outside the hash marks, where he has completed only 44% of his attempts the last two seasons?

Sam Hartman | Notre Dame

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After five years at Wake Forest, Hartman is transferring to Notre Dame. He had a solid career at Wake Forest, throwing for nearly 13,000 yards, 110 touchdowns, and 41 interceptions, but he only completed 58.9% of his passes. 

There will be questions about the accuracy and placement, as when you factor in drops, Hartman's adjusted completion percentage isn't in the good zone you want. He needs to show a lot during the 2023 season, including improved accuracy. 

Hartman has to face USC, so he may have to hang in with Williams. On top of that, Hartman faces multiple formidable defenses. However, one sneaky game for Hartman is Notre Dame against Duke, as they have a guy at quarterback that has been getting some hype recently. 

Riley Leonard | Duke

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There has been a lot of hype emerging on Leonard over recent weeks, which is surprising, with only 454 passing attempts over the last two seasons, though 392 came last year. With one season as a starter, Leonard threw for 2,951 yards with 20 touchdowns to six interceptions.

This next season will only be Year 2 as a starter, so there is a good chance Leonard will end up returning for the 2024 season as well. A big year could push him toward the NFL. He has everything you need for the NFL, and there is growing attention on him as the season gets closer. 

Jordan Travis | Florida State

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Travis is a little on the smaller side for a quarterback, and his legs are a big weapon for him to utilize. He is a dual-threat quarterback who has done well passing the ball over the last two seasons, even though he hasn't thrown more than 550 times during that span. 

With 39 touchdowns to 11 interceptions, Travis has done well in protecting the ball through the air and added 15 touchdowns on the ground during that same span. However, with his running ability, ball security will be questioned with 14 fumbles, seven in each of the last two seasons. 

With improvements made each season, Travis is showing growth as he nears his time to enter the NFL. If he could take another step forward this season, he could hear his name called on Day 2. 

Joe Milton III | Tennessee

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Milton hasn't had a large opportunity to show what he can do, with less than 300 attempts in his career. Now he is poised to take the starting job in Tennessee, which is a big chance to show his ability as a passer and runner. 

In his two games as a starter in 2022, Milton threw 49 times, completing 30 passes for 398 yards and four touchdowns. There was clear promise in his game if he can continue to grow, but he may return for the 2024 season if there is still eligibility. 

Quinn Ewers | Texas

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Ewers will be draft eligible, and with the arrival of Archie Manning, he may make the jump to the NFL. However, this will be his second season, so returning to school and transferring is also possible. 

Ewers must show he can stay on the field after missing three weeks last season. There also needs more consistency than completing 57.8% with a 14-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. A lot is riding on this season for his draft stock because he is a day-three option right now.

J.J. McCarthy | Michigan

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There is a lot of hype around McCarthy, but there is so much more he has to show. He has significant questions about the arm strength and ability to make NFL throws with struggles beyond the 10-yard mark. 

There is running ability, but even there, you have to worry about McCarthy's fumble history. With his issues attacking 10-plus yards, especially outside the hash marks, McCarthy has to show more of an NFL arm. His running ability is enticing, but ball security will be a concern until he shows it isn't. 

Jayden Daniels | LSU

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After having issues at Arizona State for over three years, Daniels transferred to LSU and had a good season in 2022. He threw for nearly 3,000 yards with 17 touchdowns to three interceptions. 

With his running ability, Daniels added over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has the potential to be a dual-threat quarterback in the NFL, but he has to show more consistency in his play week after week. 

Spencer Rattler | South Carolina

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One of the consistent questions about Rattler has been his personality and consistency. He has all the tools to work in the NFL, but it is a matter of putting it all together. 

After a massive season in 2020 for Oklahoma, he fell off significantly in 2021 and then transferred to South Carolina for 2022, where his inconsistencies showed. Rattler has to cut down on the mistakes and not be such an up-and-down quarterback to help himself for the 2024 draft. Right now, he is probably a mid/late Day 3 pick. 

Michael Pratt | Tulane

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Pratt is going under the radar and could be a potential hidden gem at quarterback in 2024. He has shown steady improvement from the previous season and just threw for 3,000 yards on 63.2% completed passes with 27 touchdowns and five interceptions. 

There is also the decent running ability to be mobile behind the line of scrimmage or take off when needed, and he added 10 touchdowns on the ground last season. 

Grayson McCall | Coastal Carolina

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McCall has been a favorite for a while, as he does well improvising and uses his legs to buy some extra time. He has a good build on his smaller frame and has shown running ability, but he doesn't resort to it and keeps his eyes hunting for a receiver. 

Over the past three seasons, he has thrown eight interceptions compared to 77 total touchdowns, with over 8,000 yards. 

Shedeur Sanders | Colorado

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Sanders is making the jump with Deion Sanders, his father, from Jackson State to Colorado. He has shown to be an explosive playmaker as a passer, but he is taking a jump in competition. 

That will be the biggest question with Sanders. How can he adjust in the competition jump, and how he does will significantly influence his draft stock?

Will Rogers | Mississippi State

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Playing quarterback in the SEC is tough, and Rogers has done well over the past two seasons. He has thrown 71 touchdowns to 17 interceptions for 8,642 yards. He has a good arm for the NFL and does well with his reads. 

The best thing NFL teams see is how Rogers is raising the level of those around him, as he has lacked quality receivers and spreads the ball around. The knock will be about his lack of mobility, which has become super important in the NFL. 

Cameron Ward | Washington State

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Ball security will be a concern for Ward, as he put the ball on the ground 23 times in the last two seasons at Incarnate World in 2022 and Washington State in 2023. He can use his legs to complement his efficient passing and does well to keep his eyes looking for a receiver instead of becoming a runner only. 

Can Ward stay efficient and make more NFL throws? No one is sure because the Washington State offense doesn't ask for much from the quarterback. 

Bottom Line

Will all of these quarterbacks declare for the draft? I doubt it, and we don't yet know what the future holds for Wilson. But most of the QBs I've highlighted likely will declare, which would still make for a strong class that the Broncos could capitalize on if push comes to shove. 

What's great about a strong class is even if the Broncos do hang on to Wilson, they could look for a quarterback to start developing to take over down the road. The Broncos have their options in front of them. 

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